Rewatching last year's games

[BAMARICH]

Learning curb was not just Grubb. CKD is still learning a painful lesson of Finesse vs Power. He has made progress, but also taken some lumps

I think this contributed to the issue. The SEC physicality is a meat grinder over the course of the season. You might start off fresh and perform well, but it's another thing to sustain that into November and December. Injuries didn't help, but bottom line is that (1) our players weren't physical enough (OL & RB especially) and (2) our coaching was lacking to shore up the run game. Hopeful that CKD can make the needed adjustments this year.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

I agree that DeBoer probably under-estimated the weekly grind of SEC physicality. Even if your opponent isn't all that good, they're still bruising. And that piles up over the course of the season. I also agree that he recognized the erroneous pre-conception and is taking steps to address it.

I'm not sure how much that tolled on the OL. Was the abysmal performance the result of nagging injuries? Lack of S&C? Lack of mentality? Lack of coaching? Mis-evaluated talent? All of that? I don't know.

Regardless of the cause, Derrick Henry and Eddie Lacy would have struggled behind that group.

Side Note: While Ty Simpson was unquestionably our best QB when healthy, I also wonder if a 100% Austin Mack might not have been better than a 70% Ty Simpson. But that's a topic for another thread.

 

[Tidewater]

I agree that DeBoer probably under-estimated the weekly grind of SEC physicality. Even if your opponent isn't all that good, they're still bruising. And that piles up over the course of the season. I also agree that he recognized the erroneous pre-conception and is taking steps to address it.

I'm not sure how much that tolled on the OL. Was the abysmal performance the result of nagging injuries? Lack of S&C? Lack of mentality? Lack of coaching? Mis-evaluated talent? All of that? I don't know.

Regardless of the cause, Derrick Henry and Eddie Lacy would have struggled behind that group.

Side Note: While Ty Simpson was unquestionably our best QB when healthy, I also wonder if a 100% Austin Mack might not have been better than a 70% Ty Simpson. But that's a topic for another thread.

I just finished watching the Vanderbilt game. Ty was not as crisp as he had been in previous weeks, but he was still pretty good. Plus, I think Grubb was committed to the run and stayed committed to the run.
Now I am up to the USCe game, were the wheels started to fall off the season.

 

[Tidewater]

It did cause considerable schadenfreude that one of the main reasons why Vandy lost was three turnovers by Pavia. GMac on the broadcast noted that it was Pavia's mistakes that cost Vandy.

 

[4Q Basket Case]

It did cause considerable schadenfreude that one of the main reasons why Vandy lost was three turnovers by Pavia. GMac on the broadcast noted that it was Pavia's mistakes that cost Vandy.

Karma catches up. Sometimes, she’s a bit slow. But she get them. And not slowly this time.

In the case of Pavia, she was actually pretty fast. Of course, he was shouting profanity in her face while grabbing his package, sticking his tongue out, practicing the kneel-out, and listening to his mentor Johnny Manziel.

Unless your name is Hugh Freeze, I’m not sure how you could provoke her more.

Diego Pavia is in the first stages of a reckoning, and he has no idea that it’s just beginning. There is more to come.

 

[Tidewater]

Mizzou was the next game.
Mizzou drives the field for an opening possession touchdown, Bama's offense flounders a bit. Facing a 3rd and 15, but wait! Zion Young of Mizzou (who had not made the tackle on 2nd down), runs over to a Bama player on the ground and flexes over him. Unsportsmanlike conduct, 15 yards, automatic 1st down. Later in the same drive Zion Young was in the neutral zone when the ball was snapped on 3rd and 4, another Bama first down by penalty.

These are the reasons why I am not a football coach, I would either want to strangle this young man or I would have a coronary. "You didn't even make the tackle, man! But you had to run over and flex over the Bama player?" What a selfish unforced error. Mindbogglingly undisciplined and stupid play.
In fairness, I think Zion Young was a pretty good player. He might make a name for himself in the NFL, but holy mackerel, he needs to discipline himself.

 

[arthurdawg]

Mizzou was the next game.
Mizzou drives the field for an opening possession touchdown, Bama's offense flounders a bit. Facing a 3rd and 15, but wait! Zion Young of Mizzou (who had not made the tackle on 2nd down), runs over to a Bama player on the ground and flexes over him. Unsportsmanlike conduct, 15 yards, automatic 1st down. Later in the same drive Zion Young was in the neutral zone when the ball was snapped on 3rd and 4, another Bama first down by penalty.

These are the reasons why I am not a football coach, I would either want to strangle this young man or I would have a coronary. "You didn't even make the tackle, man! But you had to run over and flex over the Bama player?" What a selfish unforced error. Mindbogglingly undisciplined and stupid play.
In fairness, I think Zion Young was a pretty good player. He might make a name for himself in the NFL, but holy mackerel, he needs to discipline himself.

Mizzou plays dirty and it comes from the top down. Which leads to unforced errors and kept us from potentially crumbling.